REVEREND AL SHARPTON, MSNBC ANCHOR: Good evening, Ed. And thanks to you for tuning in.

Breaking news out of Ferguson tonight where the grand jury in the Michael Brown case has reached a decision. An announcement is expected from prosecutor Bob McCulloch at any moment.

It`s been 108 days since officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Brown. And tonight, we will find out if he`ll be charged with a crime. We also will hear from Missouri Governor Jay Nixon in about an hour and a half, to a half hour. We`ll have that for you live.

But what happened inside the grand jury, the secret grand jury? What decision did those 12 people come to? And what is the mood on the ground in Ferguson tonight? We`ll have all angles covered tonight, from the legal, to the voices in Ferguson.

We start tonight outside the center of justice in Clayton, Missouri, with MSNBC`s Craig Melvin.

Craig, this moment has been months in the making. What`s the mood?

CRAIG MELVIN, MSNBC CORRESPONDENT: Rev., I would describe the mood as anxious. I mean, as you said, 108 days since that shooting here in Ferguson. Law enforcement anxious, regular citizens anxious, protesters anxious. We`ve seen over the past few hours, more barricades go up around the justice center behind me where the grand jury had been deliberating. We`ve seen monuments in front of the police department here in Clayton covered. We`ve seen streets blocked off as well. We`ve seen more businesses board up.

All of those things happening in the last few hours as folks here in Clayton prepare for this decision that`s going to be announced.

So, on the side, you have this anxiousness. But you also got a fair amount of confusion as well, Rev. We still haven`t been able to confirm precisely when that announcement is going to be made tonight. Is it going to be 8:00 is the last time we`ve heard, eastern. But again, we haven`t been able to get that confirmed. And also confusion over the release of those grand jury documents.

SHARPTON: Right.

MELVIN: We were told yesterday that it would not be happening. A short time ago, the "St. Louis Dispatch," the paper of record here in St. Louis, reporting that the documents will be released if officer Wilson is not indicted. So anxious and confused here on the ground.

SHARPTON: All right, Craig, please stay with me. I want to bring in Lisa Bloom, attorney and legal analyst for avo.com. Thanks for being here tonight.

LISA BLOOM, LEGAL ANALYST, AVO.COM: Thanks for having me, Rev.

SHARPTON: Lisa, we just learned Ferguson schools are planning on closing tomorrow. You know this community. What`s the feeling right now?

BLOOM: Well, I don`t think schools should be closed. I personally think children should be in school as much as possible and perhaps they should be educated on this outcome, whichever way it goes, they should be enlightened about what`s going on in their community. Those kids who are not in school, I would encourage them to be out as part of the peaceful protests which I expect to take place just as those protests have been 99 percent peaceful since August 9th when Mike Brown was shot.

SHARPTON: And I think you`re right. but bring me inside the jury room, Lisa, so people and I will understand how this works. The grand jury is made up of seven men, five women, three of the grand jurors are black, nine are white. Take me in the room and how the prosecutor presented evidence and what it was like as the grand jurors deliberated.

BLOOM: Sure. Well, to understand what happened, we have to understand the way that grand juries usually go down, 99.9 percent of the time, which is, the prosecutor puts on a very short abbreviated case, a couple of witnesses here that would just to show that Mike Brown was shot and killed by Darren Wilson, not disputed. A couple of the eyewitnesses who say that Mike Brown`s hands were up in universal sign of surrender at the time that he was shot. And then recommend the charges, manslaughter or second-degree murder would be the most obvious.

That`s not at all what happened here, though. Darren Wilson got special treatment. I mean, there is really no question about that. The treatment that he got was prosecutors who didn`t want to file charges directly. Instead, they went to the grand jury. They put on all of the evidence, they say, including all the evidence that helps the defense.

Darren Wilson testified for about four hours. Was he rigorously cross-examined as he should have been? We just don`t know. but most importantly, the prosecutors have said here that they`re not recommending any particular charges. So they`re sending a very clear signal, I think, to this grand jury that they don`t particularly think charges are appropriate or at least -- it is up to the grand jury to figure out.

SHARPTON: Which is why some of us question it.

Let me go back to Craig. Craig wanted to correct something.

MELVIN: No correction here, Reverend Al. But I do want to clear up some confusion in the past minute or two, we have heard from the prosecutor`s office. They confirm now that the grand jury announcement is going to be made at 8:00 local time.

SHARPTON: Yes. You said 8:00 eastern so it`s 8:00 central time.

MELVIN: 8:00 central. Right here behind me at the justice center. And we were also told, we were told that the prosecutor is going to be taking some questions as well.

SHARPTON: All right, thank you, Craig.

And the governor will be speaking in the next few minutes. We`ll take that live, but we are told that the announcement will be 8:00 central, which is 9:00 p.m. eastern time. I can also say, some of us are going into Ferguson, the parents are not appearing until tomorrow, whatever the decision will be, will not be discussed until tomorrow. Let me go back to Lisa.

BLOOM: Yes.

SHARPTON: Lisa, for months, the prosecutor gave assurances that if there isn`t an indictment, all the evidence would be released. He said that he`d reached an agreement with the judge to do it. Let me let you hear it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT MCCULLOCH, PROSECUTOR, ST. LOUIS COUNTY: There`s no probably about it. It will be released. We`ve asked the judge to do that and the judge has agreed that she will do that if there is no indictment, she will authorize the release of the testimony and the physical evidence that was presented to the grand jury.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Now, Lisa, the county court`s top administrator says that`s not true. Quote, "judge Whittington has entered no such order and has made no such agreement."

BLOOM: You know, I`m shaking my head, Reverend, because there have been so many out and out misstatements from the prosecutor, from the local police. The disrespect for this community has been at an all-time high.

I believe the prosecutor has been hiding behind this idea that I`m going to release the entire transcript from the very beginning, knowing full well that would probably not happen. Because grand juries are typically held in secret. Because he would need a judge`s order to do that. And because a judge probably would not do that.

And you know, Reverend Al, you made it your life`s work to fight for equality across America and especially in our criminal justice system. How can this prosecutor justify the unequal treatment that he has given to Darren Wilson in this case? That no other defendant that I`m aware of in St. Louis has gotten this kind of treatment.

Listen. If I were accused of a crime, I would love to get the Darren Wilson treatment. A prosecutor who doesn`t think I should be prosecuted. Putting on all of the defense evidence, not recommending any particular charges, making misstatements to the press, leaking information that is only one-sided, that helps the police officer here. I mean it is absolutely appalling and shameful what`s going on.

SHARPTON: Well, to be very clear, the grand jury is not to try the innocence or guilt of the accused. It`s only to establish whether there is enough probable cause to go to trial. And they have acted in this case, as far as we can tell from the outside, as if this was a trial jury, not a grand jury.

BLOOM: That`s right. This is the lowest legal standard that we have in our system. Probable cause. Is there just enough evidence to hold somebody over for a trial. And at the trial, of course Darren Wilson, like any defendant could put on all of the evidence that might support his side.

But in this case, I mean to me, this is even worse so far than the George Zimmerman case, because we don`t have a special prosecutor appointed. We don`t have the family being respected by the prosecutor. And we don`t even have charges being filed.

This is just about whether charges should be filed. This is just about whether we can meet that very low standard of probable cause. Everything that`s happened in the last few months is just to get over that very, very low hurdle.

SHARPTON: Yes. And I think that that`s where a lot of people don`t understand the basis of the protest, the basis of the questioning. It`s not demanding guilt, but demanding, if you have six or seven witnesses saying he had his hands up, you have conflicting witnesses that say the officer was right, that`s the basis of going to trial. That`s not the basis of you trying it in the grand jury.

BLOOM: Right, absolutely. And to let all of the defense theories come out before the grand jury, I mean, that is really unheard of. And again, I would like to know why this prosecutor doesn`t offer these same advantages to the other, mostly African-American defendants in his jurisdiction. Why don`t they get these advantages when their cases are heard before the grand jury?

Instead they get the standard operating procedure across America, which is, you put on a couple of witnesses, you recommend charges, 95 percent of the time, the grand jury agrees with you and the person goes to trial or they plea bargain. Darren Wilson got a very special kind of treatment and there`s never been an explanation as to why.

SHARPTON: And I think that the other thing that really made a lot of people question this, and uncomfortable, is that all of that being said and done, operating differently than many of us have experienced down through the years. I think that many of us would have been negligent not to raise the question.

And again, not because I hear some critics say, they`re demanding a conviction. We`re demanding due process the way it always was, those of us that have it, the way you do in the other cases.

BLOOM: Right. You are just asking -- we`re all just asking for a trial. But I will say, Reverend Al, I would caution everyone, even if this grand jury overcomes what I think was a very obvious message from the prosecutor that they don`t want to indict, and even if the grand jury issues an indictment today, we still have the problem of a prosecutor`s office who does not appear to have any energy behind prosecuting Darren Wilson.

And so, even if they charge him, next up is a trial. Are they going to handle this in the very poor way that the Trayvon Martin case was handled? Failing to call expert witnesses, failing to put together a theory of the case, failing to prepare witnesses, failing to do an effective closing argument. Because we, the people, can`t get behind the closed doors of the prosecutor`s office and make them zealously advocate for the murder victim here, Mike Brown. I wonder, has anybody been advocating for Mike Brown in that grand jury room.

SHARPTON: Well, that`s the question.

Lisa, I want to bring in "the Washington Post" Wesley Lowery. He is live in Ferguson.

Wesley, you`ve been there, in and out throughout the last three months or more. What`s the mood there right now?

WESLEY LOWERY, THE WASHINGTON POST: It`s a very transitional mood right now. You have everyone is king of getting things in place. You have people coming home from work, parents getting their children home. You got a lot -- you see a lot of motorists coming behind us right now. Ferguson is busy, but we don`t have a lot of people out and about yet. People are waiting. . They`re under the impression they have a little bit of time before the actual decision comes out.

SHARPTON: And what, in the last several days, I know there have been appeals by the parents for peace, no matter what is announced. There`s been a lot of work on the ground, I know, from different groups that I`m privy to and involved with. How do you think that will kick in now, no matter what decision is announced tonight?

LOWERY: As I talk to protest groups and organizers, leaders throughout the day, clergy members throughout the day, there`s been a lot of effort that have gone into trying to keep whatever the reaction is tonight. Because we will see a reaction. We will see a moments of silence, we will see massive acts of civil disobedience, we will see protests. There`s been a lot of work done by those leaders, those organizers, to keep things peaceful.

What remains to be seen is if we see the emotional outpouring in the community the way we saw in August. And/or if we see some type of outside group, whether it local gangs, whether it be a national group that has come in, whether they try to take advantage of the emotion to cause some type of violence. That`s what we don`t know yet.

But as far as the people who are planning, they are trying to keep things peacefully, puts together some very specific plans on what they want to do tonight. But you never know. Any time you have hundreds of people in the street, that`s great cover for somebody who may want to cause a problem.

SHARPTON: That`s correct.

Craig Melvin, Lisa bloom, Wesley Lowery, thank you all for your time tonight.

Coming up, we`ll be live at the news conference for Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, also the potential charges. A closer look at what the grand jury has been considering for officer Wilson.

And peaceful protests, what Michael Brown`s parents have been saying since the death of their son. It`s a dramatic night of breaking news. The announcement coming at 9:00 p.m. eastern time. Full coverage ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: The breaking news tonight, the grand jury decision in Ferguson will be announced tonight at 9:00 p.m. eastern time. And this news has dominated social media all day long including our facebook and twitter pages.

Coming up, we`ll look at all the possible charges officer Wilson could face. And we`ll also hear from Governor Jay Nixon who is holding a press conference.

SHARPTON: We`re back with breaking news tonight. The grand jury in the Michael Brown shooting will be announced tonight at 9:00 p.m. eastern time. So what charges could officer Wilson face? The most serious charge, first-degree murder, which would mean Wilson showed some kind of planning before the killing. Second-degree murder, for knowing he causing death. Voluntary manslaughter, for sudden passion arising from adequate cause. Involuntary manslaughter in the first-degree for recklessly causing death. Involuntary manslaughter in the second-degree for criminal negligence or no charges at all.

Let me bring in former U.S. attorney Kendall Coffey and prosecutor Paul Henderson, thank you both for being here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks, Reverend.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks for having us.

SHARPTON: I want to hear from both of you on this. The grand jury has considered a lot of charges. Kendall, where do you see this going tonight?

KENDALL COFFEY, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: Well, I think most of us would be surprised if the grand jury brings any charges. In large part because of the way this investigation and this process was structured. The prosecutor was never a leader presenting a narrative, a theory of the case, leading the grand jury, which is what they normally do. Instead, they just let all the evidence in, we`ll read the law to the grand jury and they decide. That is not the way this is typically done at all. It was very unusual.

And I think, in no small part, that kind of structure, that kind of process, basically set in motion, what I think is an inevitable decision that there will not be charges.

SHARPTON: Paul, you`re a veteran prosecutor. Have you ever seen a grand jury handled like this? And what is your prediction tonight?

PAUL HENDERSON, PROSECUTOR: You know, I`ve never seen a jury handled in this manner. I think he is correct. I don`t expect to see charges. Basically evaluating the information, specifically the leaks that have come out, that have been specifically stacking the deck against charges coming out, are clear indication to me that they are not seeking something to be done, to have real accountability.

And I just want to remind everybody that has a prosecutorial office, you always have the independent authority to make charges decisions separate from a grand jury. That didn`t happen here. And the only person who is in that room, who is driving that train, is that prosecutorial office. So there`s no judge calling balls and fouls. There`s no defense attorney structuring how the information is coming along. It really is in the lap of that prosecutorial office to drive the train, to determine where we go based on the facts in evidence.

SHARPTON: And basically the nature of a grand jury is to determine if there`s probable cause for trial. Not whether or not there`s guilt or innocence, but is there enough there to say, wait a minute, there could be a crime here, let a public trial decide that. And this appears to have not been the function of this grand jury. It appears that they were weighing evidence and were not being instructed, almost like they were a trial jury.

HENDERSON: I agree with you.

COFFEY: Yes. And Reverend, just to add to that, in a probable cause determination, a grand jury is not typically looking at all the evidence, good and bad, pro-defense and pro-prosecution. They`re looking at the prosecution`s evidence, because that`s all that needs to be considered in determining whether there is probable cause.

In this one, they said, look at everything. You basically decide, and we both talked about, Paul and I, that`s definitely not the way prosecutors normally do it. A grand jury is supposed to be an investigative tool. We`re all going to wonder whether there was a tool to create cover, to avoid accountability from making a very difficult prosecutorial decision.

SHARPTON: Well, Paul, because and I think that one has to go to the logical conclusion, that it`s not even fair to the grand jurors. Because if there is no bill, as both of you have said, and I`ve said all along, I`ve had my doubts as to whether there will be an indictment. What you are really saying is that these jurors heard from the witnesses we assume that said he had his hands up and heard from those that said he didn`t. The officer who have else. And they determined they didn`t believe the one who had have his hands up. That`s not the role of a grand jury.

HENDERSON: Exactly. So this information may not make it a find or a fact which is a jury in front of a trial. And one of the things that I think we can`t walk away from that I think is really important here, specifically in Missouri, is that in a case of a grand jury, the defendant himself, or the target of the investigation, is allowed to testify.

So even though we`re already dealing with complex legal issues, in addition that we`re dealing with a scattering number of evidence and a number of conflicting testimony from experts and witnesses, we get the officer who is allowed to testify in front of that grand jury, all of that is very persuasive at least, and very confusing at most to a grand jury.

And so for all of these reasons, I feel like this is exactly the kind of case that should not have been handled in this manner. And very likely could have been handled independently by the prosecutorial agency, to have made a determination, so that these facts and circumstances and all of the information could have been determined by a trial of fact and a jury after a preliminary hearing, if charges were filed independently as they could have been done. But this prosecution office chose not to handle this case in that manner.

SHARPTON: Kendall, do you agree with that?

COFFEY: I do. And just by way of contrast, we recall from the George Zimmerman prosecution, the first thing Angela Corey did is come in there and say, I`m going to decide this. This doesn`t need to go to grand jury. That`s the first thing that was done and that I think most prosecutors would do.

The last thing you would want to do to create a prosecution scenario is the way this grand jury was structured. And it`s not the fault of any of the members of the grand jury who serve conscientiously.

But it`s an obvious lack of leadership by prosecutors who apparently didn`t present a compelling narrative that would indicate a likely more probable than not basis for bringing charges.

SHARPTON: Now Paul, the grand jurors were not sequestered. They`ve been there over the last three months. Could that have had any impact as well?

HENDERSON: Well, certainly it has an impact on how they`re evaluating the evidence and how they`re evaluating the information. This is a long period of time to be hearing evidence after evidence after evidence being presented in whatever manner. We don`t know, because we`re not in that room. It`s a secretive process. We don`t know who the actual jurors are.

I`m not optimistic that we will actually ever get any of the testimony that is being presented, even though the prosecution office said they were going to try to present that. Because keep in mind, while people are testifying and people are presenting evidence, in their minds, they are appearing in front of a grand jury that is secretive. So they never expected that that information, that that testimony was either going to be leaked, or ultimately revealed to the public. And any judge that makes a determination as to whether or not he reveals that information to a public, has to consult with those witnesses and with that evidence as a review before he makes a determination that it can all be open up.

But this is all part of the problem. And this is exactly why I think you`re seeing so much of the community reaction responding negatively against this process and feeling as though this criminal justice process is not reflecting fairly to them.

SHARPTON: That`s true. That has been the feeling I`ve heard and many of us in the civil rights communities expressed.

Let me go to you quickly, Kendall, we`re out of time. But I want to raise this. If there are no charges tonight, officer Wilson could face federal charges. The justice department is investigating. He could be charged with criminal civil rights violation. That would require prosecutors to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that officer Wilson intended to violate Brown`s constitutional rights, or excessive force, as was used in the Rodney King case.

HENDERSON: Correct.

COFFEY: Yes. And I think the standard doesn`t mean the officer was thinking about the United States constitution at the time., but that he was, in effect, with sufficient intentionality, using excessive force. That could be a basis for a federal investigation and federal charges if the prosecutors in this justice department were willing to fully pursue that.

SHARPTON: All right, thank you both, Kendall Coffey and Paul Henderson. Thank you both for your time tonight.

HENDERSON: Thanks for having us, Reverend.

COFFEY: Thanks, Reverend.

SHARPTON: Coming up, at the center of this case, two very different accounts of what happened the day Michael Brown was shot. What we know, and what we don`t know.

And we are awaiting a press conference from Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. Please stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: Breaking news, we are awaiting a press conference from Governor Jay Nixon in St. Louis, ahead of the announcement of the grand jury decision. I want to bring in committeewoman for Ferguson Township Patricia Bynes, and attorney and columnist for the "St. Louis American," Lizz Brown. Thank you both for being here.

COMMITTEEWOMAN PATRICIA BYNES (D), FERGUSON TOWNSHIP: Thank you, Rev.

LIZZ BROWN, ST. LOUIS AMERICAN: Thank you for having me.

SHARPTON: Patricia, what do you want to hear from the governor?

BYNES: You know what, Reverend, I`m not sure what I`d like to hear from the governor. I haven`t really heard anything that he`s done anything to actually help the situation. From not removing Bob McCulloch, to putting a curfew on the town and now having put a state of emergency. I`m not quite sure what the governor can say or do that would be helpful or help ease tensions right now. I don`t know.

SHARPTON: Lizz, is anything he could say that you`d want to hear?

BROWN: Well, I would love to hear him, given the fact that we just had a story break here in Missouri that Bob McCulloch actually lied when he went on the air on two different stations, saying that he had talked to the judge and the judge had given him permission to release this information, or this transcript from the grand jury. I think that that`s almost an actionable case on his law license. So given the fact that he`s proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that he cannot be fair or impartial, I would love to hear the governor take advantage of the state of emergency and call for a different prosecutor.

SHARPTON: Now, let me go back to you, Patricia. What will happen in the community in terms of legislators, and those elected officials, assuming there`s no indictment, and assuming the community pushes for federal indictment? What can be done on a local level by elected officials along the lines of trying to correct what we`re seeing here?

BYNES: Well, there`s a lot to be done. At the state level, I know that there`s state legislators working on legislation to intervene and have a special prosecutor called every time that there is a police officer-involved shooting. There`s legislation, possibly in the works to help clearly better define what is excessive force, how to justify a police officer-involved shooting. These are things that they`re looking to do at the state level. Um, and then locally, people are -- people have to look at civilian review here, over policing. So there`s a lot to be done legislatively at the local level, at the state level, and even federally, looking at trying to make better federal policies throughout the country. Because this is not just a St. Louis or Ferguson problem. We have issues throughout this country because people continue to keep getting shot and killed by the police.

SHARPTON: Lizz, I think that`s the point. At the end of the day and protests and all are needed and no one has done it more than me, isn`t this going to be about some real change as well as trying to deal with this case?

BROWN: I think there has to be real change, but how do you define real change under these circumstances? If this grand jury does not indict Darren Wilson, then the real change has to come from changing people`s understandings and world views. If Darren Wilson is not indicted in this case for the killing of Mike Brown, that says that the quality and the value of black life does not exist. And how do you make that kind of a change? You can change all the laws you want to, but we have to get to the bottom of changing the world view, changing police officers` attitudes, changing police officers, changing police institutions, because that`s why we`re here.

SHARPTON: Excuse me a minute, Lizz, here`s the governor walking up to the podium. Let`s hear the beginning of what he has to say.

GOV. JAY NIXON (D), MISSOURI: Good evening. I`m pleased to be joined this evening by St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, St. Louis County executive Charlie Dooley and Missouri Director of Public Safety Dan Isom. Later this evening, the St. Louis County prosecutor will announce the grand jury`s decision. While none of us knows what that will be, our shared hope and expectation is that regardless of the decision, people on all sides show tolerance, mutual respect, and restraint. Earlier today, I visited with some folks in Ferguson, and it`s understandable that, like the rest of us, they are on edge waiting for a decision. But they are doing their best to go about their daily lives, conduct their business, and support one another and their community.

I also spoke with a number of faith leaders late this afternoon, who offered their prayers for peace and safety. Together, we are all focused on making sure the necessary resources are at hand to protect lives, protect property, and protect free speech. Several churches will be providing safe havens throughout the area to provide food, shelter, and medical care. Mental health providers have teamed up to help ease the emotional strain that these events have caused. These health professionals are working right now to provide counseling and other services to the people that need them. Law enforcement officials continue to maintain open lines of communication with protest leaders to improve the interactions between police and demonstrators and prevent violence.

I want to thank my director of Public Safety, Dan Isom, for taking part in these ongoing discussions. State and local law enforcement agencies are continuing to work hand in hand to make sure the best, most experienced officers are on the street. The men and women of the National Guard will also be in the area to provide security at critical facilities, like fire houses, police stations, and utility sub stations, and offer logistical and transportation support as needed. This will free up law enforcement officers to do their jobs effectively. In closing, I`d like to reiterate my call for peace, respect, and restraint. And thank everyone out there who is working hard to make sure communities throughout the region are safe and secure. Now I`d like to ask County Executive Dooley to make a couple comments and I`ll call on the rest of our folks and we`ll be glad to take a few questions. The county executive of St. Louis County, Charlie Dooley.

CHARLIE DOOLEY, ST. LOUIS COUNTY EXECUTIVE: Let me say, good evening to all of you. I do not know what the prosecuting attorney will have to say this evening, but I do know this. No matter what is announced, people will be emotional. I want people to think with their heads and not with emotion. No matter what, we have to remain focused on long-term systemic changes that has to take place in our community. Our immediate priority is to ensure that people are safe and able to voice their concerns in an orderly fashion. Police and community groups have been working for weeks to ensure the rights are protected. We are committed to de-escalating negative situations in a responsible manner. I do not want people in this community to think they have to barricade their doors and take up arms. We are not that kind of a community. I do not want people to accidentally shoot or harm someone out of fear. This is not the time to turn on each other. It is a time to turn to each other.

We are one community. Again, our main priority at this time is to ensure that we keep people safe and protect property. We intend to do that. But it is to be said and to be clear, that in achieving these objectives, we recognize the right of people to peacefully assemble and to express free speech rights. We will honor that as long as safety and security are not jeopardized. I personally believe that people in this community will do what is right. In October, there were thousands of people here, peacefully protesting, and expressing their views. No one was hurt. Many, many people has spent countless hours, working on ways to manage this situation once the grand jury decision is announced. And now is the time to show the world that we can act without being destructive. I am confident that this will be a fact. Thank you.

NIXON: Thank you. Now the great leader of the great city of St. Louis, Mayor Francis Slay.

MAYOR FRANCIS SLAY, ST. LOUIS: Thank you, Governor, and good evening. St. Louis is a region that endures during challenging times. We have seen it time and time again. We`ve seen it in the face of personal tragedy, and we`ve seen it in the aftermath of natural disaster. We face one of those times today. What happened to Michael Brown has deeply divided us. Whatever is announced this evening, some people are going to be angry and frustrated. And some people are going to be angry and frustrated about that. My message to the protesters, we will protect your right to peacefully assemble and to speak your mind. Like last night, we will give you leeway to occupy public safety, and we will listen to your grievances. But turning violent or damaging property will not be tolerated.

To the people who disagree with the protesters, the actions we are taking are designed to protect you, to protect your family, your homes, your businesses, and your neighborhoods. That is our paramount concern. Over the next few days, we expect to see St. Louisans loudly and passionately expressing their views. We expect to see some of the best police officers in the country protecting their rights and keeping everyone safe. But after that, it will be time to heal. To close the racial divide and to make St. Louis a better place for everyone, regardless of race or color. We all may experience some inconvenience during the coming days. Depending on the circumstances, we may allow demonstrators to slow down traffic. But we will not allow them to hurt anyone or damage anyone`s property.

That`s how it went last night in the Shaw neighborhood. It wasn`t perfect. There were two acts of vandalism, but there was no other property damage, and most importantly, no one was seriously injured. When President Abraham Lincoln first proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving in 1863, it`s worth recalling that he sought to help a nation heal and to work together toward the promise of what he called a large increase in freedom. The world will be watching us. They`re going to watch how we handle our disagreements in the coming days. And how we make needed change in the coming months and years. St. Louis finds itself with an opportunity to show the nation the ways in which a community can be more fair and more just for everyone. We must seize this opportunity together.

Now, one more speaker and I`ll be glad to take questions here. The director of Public Safety of the state of Missouri, Director Dan Isom.

DANIEL ISOM, DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY: Thank you, Governor. I`ve spent my entire life as a resident of the city of St. Louis and served 24 years as a member of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, retiring as chief of police. The St. Louis County Police, the St. Louis City Police and the Missouri Highway Patrol, have spent the last two months planning and training for the anticipated reaction to the announcement that will be made in the next few hours. The plan is designed for all contingencies. But we hope that officers will only observe peaceful protests. I have great confidence in the design of this plan. It has prioritized keeping all people safe, residents and protesters, the protection of property, and ensuring that people can exercise their constitutional rights.

I also have tremendous confidence in the men and women in St. Louis law enforcement. They understand the importance of protecting everyone and I know they intend to do so. I also have great confidence in the people of my community. A tremendous dialogue has begun to take place here about more than just policing. This community understands that through peaceful protest and through dialogue, we will continue to grow and that violence will set this progress back. We must continue to move this community forward, and I have confidence that that is exactly what we will do tonight and in the days ahead of us.

NIXON: I`d be glad to take questions.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Governor, I`m wondering, was there any thought of delaying this until tomorrow morning? Seems like the element of darkness at night makes it possibly more dangerous for the protesters if they do show up, and the police officers, as well as people just standing around?

NIXON: Those were decisions made by the St. Louis County prosecutor`s office, and that is who made that call. So, yes, Jase.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Governor, what would you say to the thousands of people and millions of people around America who felt like the government has failed them over the last three and a half months, that the judicial system has failed them over the last three and a half months?

NIXON: Well, our focus is not about what happened over the last three and a half months. I think the last three and a half months has provided additional training, has provided additional sensitivity, and additional knowledge on everybody in front. Our focus today, in the short run here, is to protect lives, protect property, and to protect speech. In the longer run, as the mayor said, to find paths for progress. So our focus is on those clear principles, as we move forward. Yes, ma`am.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: How are you going to move forward in terms of healing the racial divide? What steps are you going to take?

NIXON: Well, as I said, tonight is about the pieces that are in place to do what we have to do. Clearly all of the folks behind me, as well as significant leaders in the community, have begun that process. Had a chance before I came in here, the conference call with a number of faith leaders, who are working deeply and with long hours to do just that. We have with the office of community engagement here, doing that on a daily basis. All of these folks behind me have been outreach in the community, listening and working, and also the commissioner I`ve appointed. I fully expect that with their independent voice and their clear ability to chart the long-term path forward, that we will also have suggestions, which can lead us in a positive path forward. Yes, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Have you ruled out the use of armored vehicles and tear gas?

NIXON: No, I`m not going to get into operational details, but the bottom-line is, the police have been trained, as the mayor said and as others said, to make sure that we are respecting people`s rights to communicate and that allowing them to do that. However, on the other side, if people are violent, or threaten property, you know, then resources will be used to manage the issues. Yes, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Governor, are you planning to stay in the area --

(INAUDIBLE)

NIXON: You know, I`ve been here, I believe, seven of the last eight days and will be here tonight and as long as it takes to make sure that we move through this particular phase, whatever it may be, into the next phase.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: We have time for one more question, folks.

LARRY EVEREST, REVOLUTION NEWSPAPER: Governor, governor --

NIXON: Joe, quick first. Joe --

EVEREST: What couldn`t the lack of indictment be a justification of police violence --

NIXON: Call on this man first.

EVEREST: If I might ask you, you need to let the alternative press speak here. I`m from Revolution Newspaper, Larry Everest. And so wouldn`t a lack of indictment mean fear for black people all over this country and effectively a green light to further police violence? And second, I would like to pose to you how you would respond to the call by Carl Dixon and many others from the revolutionary communist party that if Darren Wilson is not indicted for murder, the country be brought to a halt through energetic civil disobedience by millions of people?

NIXON: I do not know what the grand jury has ruled, nor do I know what the prosecutor is going to announce at 8:00 tonight. Yes, Joe.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Can you say now roughly how many National Guards will be at least on standby? I know the mayor has said before he`s asked for 400. And how long you think they may be needed?

NIXON: Well, I mean, as I said before, we`ll have guard resource here that will play a support role. For example, providing utility substation security. As we know on Halloween, the power went out here in Ferguson. Most of the proof would indicate that that was not accidental. Nor was it a squirrel running down a wire, or whatever happens sometimes. Also, police substations and stations, the guard can provide support roles there. So that those police officers can get out into the community. And also things like fire houses, where those, if called upon, both EMT and the fire resources need to get there in real-time and providing that security. So in roles like that, support roles like that, the guard will be out there. Our hope, you know, is that it`s for a short period of time as is necessary and that backup role is the -- is all that will be necessary. Thank you all very, very much.

SHARPTON: You`ve been listening to the press conference of the governor of Missouri, Governor Nixon and other officials, including the mayor of St. Louis, as we await the announcement at 9:00 p.m. Eastern by the St. Louis County prosecutor on the decision of the grand jury in the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson. Let me go to Committeewoman Patricia Bynes, you`ve been listening. What`s your response to what the governor said?

BYNES: I was very glad to hear him define the role of the National Guard. That`s been something that`s really been a concern not only for myself, but for people here in the community, wondering what role are they actually going to play over these next few days if necessary. So I was glad to hear him discuss that. I do think, though, some of the comments, thinking that people are protesting just about a disagreement. This is not just about a disagreement or people taking sides. For people who are protesting, this is much more about one case. People are out here for justice and equality and wanting to see things done properly in all cases, not just for one case where there`s a police officer involved.

SHARPTON: It did seem that he was very much talking about the order and peace and clearly all of us agree with that. But he never really addressed the feelings of people feeling an imbalance in how the judicial system works.

BYNES: Correct. Correct. I didn`t hear anything about police violence. I heard about making sure protesters are on their best behavior. Didn`t hear too much about making sure that the law enforcement that`s here are on their best behavior as well. While they have had some training, as far as diversity training, and trying to do some de-escalation, we have to make sure that those things work. Because if there`s a true concern for life and property, it`s much bigger than just this one time. We`re concerned about life and property, we have to be concerned about justice for everybody.

SHARPTON: We`re going to take a break. We`ll have more with our guests on the upcoming announcement on the grand jury decision on the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson. We`ll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: I want to bring back in Patricia Bynes, Lizz Brown, Lisa Bloom, and Paul Henderson. Lizz, let me go to you. You heard what the governor said. Your reaction and the reaction you feel the people in St. Louis will have to what they heard from the governor.

BROWN: The governor was jumping to the place of, let`s get past this and then let`s get to healing. The problem is that you can`t get to healing if you don`t acknowledge the wound that has been created. There was nothing in the governor -- what the governor had to say about what brought us to this point. Protesters didn`t bring us to this point. The killing of a teenaged boy, an unarmed teenage boy by a white police officer, and a prosecutor that made the decision to keep himself involved in the grand jury of this case. That`s unfair. That`s a biased decision. That`s what has gotten us to this place. And there was no language from the governor that spoke to that. We cannot heal. We cannot move ahead, until you acknowledge and admit what has brought us here.

If the Governor really wanted to make a statement about what is happening here, the Governor should be on the front lines with the protesters. That would show to the people that, you know what, we`re all -- this is a problem that has been created in our community and I stand with our community in trying to address this wrong act that has been committed. No words like that came from the governor. No words came from the mayor. No words came from the county exec like that. It was all efforts to get us past this awful decision that is getting ready to come down here. And we can`t move forward until we acknowledge what has brought us here and begin to address that and begin to fix that.

SHARPTON: Paul, I see you nodding your head.

PAUL HENDERSON, LEGAL ANALYST: Yes. I agree with that completely. I mean, part of the problem is, nobody wants violence on the streets. But we have to keep in mind, we`re talking about a lot of people and individuals who are frustrated here. And what I would have liked to have heard was something from our elected officials. Or something from the officials speaking to the disenfranchised community in how we got to this point right now. So when we`re talking about a community that is not represented in the prosecution well, that is not represented in the judiciary, that is not represented with law enforcement, and decisions are made, it`s very difficult for those communities to express their voice, except when they have these rallies, and certainly they have to be peaceful, but we have to acknowledge that we as a society can do better. And it`s a false choice to say that we have to choose either civil rights or public safety. Because both of these things have to work together. And we can work together as a community. We just have to make sure that we`re taking those steps and our leaders are helping communities all fill included, all of us are part of the criminal justice system. Otherwise if it doesn`t work for anyone, it doesn`t work for anyone. That`s the point. And I wanted to hear something more about that, acknowledge part of the history of the disenfranchised communities, part of the history of this case where we may have had a prosecutor abdicating his authority in how this case proceeded.

SHARPTON: Let me go to Lisa. You went through the Trayvon Martin case with all of us. You even wrote a book about it. I heard you say this is even more egregious.

LISA BLOOM, THE BLOOM FIRM: It is. Because we`re just deciding about probable cause here. The family was not reached out to for months and months by the prosecutors. And look at what we just heard. Mental health counselors are going to be sent out into the community. I mean, what an insult that is. You know what`s a great tonic for mental health? Justice. That`s what the protesters want. They don`t need therapists out there. They need justice.

SHARPTON: Patricia, let me go back to you quickly. The mood in the community has always been 99 percent peaceful. The issue is not peaceful in the community. The issue is peace and justice, is that correct?

BYNES: Absolutely right. We`re not going to do any more sweeping of anything underneath the rug. There`s no more excuses, there`s no more let`s get past this. We are determined to fix this. And I need my upper level elected officials to understand that message and know what that really means. This isn`t kumbaya time. We can do kumbaya once we fix what brought us here.

SHARPTON: Let me say that, in the beginning of this case, we raised the issue of probable cause. I don`t know what the prosecutor will announce tonight, but I do know that there is a need to have a real finding of the facts here, where you have an unarmed young man taken. I do know that many of us committed that we would stand with this family as they pursued the truth. I`ll be in Ferguson tomorrow with the family. I said at the funeral I would do that. Because I feel that if we`re going to have healing, you first must deal with those that are injured. You can`t have those that are outside of the injuries decide what healing is. Yes, we need healing. In order to heal, we need to have an examination of the injuries.

Thanks for watching. I`m Al Sharpton. "HARDBALL" starts right now.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. END

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